Cottoning machine



y 21, 1959 E. E. LAKSO ETAL 2,895,269

COTTONING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGS 38 INVENTORS 48 EINO ELAKSO A, 6 52 CHARLES H.JONES,JR.

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ATTORNEY y 21, 1959 E. E. LAKSO ETAL 2,895,269

. COTTONING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 INVENTORS 46 EINO E. LAKSO CHARLES H. JONES,JR

ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice 2,895,269 Patented July 21, 1959 CO'ITONTNG MACHINE Eino E. Lakso, Fitchburg, and Charles H. Jones, Jr.,

Lunenburg, Mass., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments,.to The Lakso Company Incorporated, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation 'of Massachusetts Application June 22, 1955, Serial No. 517,175

15 Claims. (Cl. 53-21) This invention relates to a new and improved cottoning machine for automatically placing filler material, such as cotton batting or matted cotton fibers or the like, in the necks of bottles for the purpose of preventing the contents of the bottles from shifting to prevent breakage of pills, tablets, etc. upon transportation or packing or in any other use of the bottles which causes the contents thereof to be shaken.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of automatically inserting the filling or cotton in the necks of the bottles without pressure of any kind on the contents, and causing the cotton to be spread out over the container contents without mechanically engaging the cotton within the container, the containers for pills and tablets ordinarily being provided with shoulders and the cotton being spread out under these shoulders to fill the bottle above the content level to adequately prevent shifting of the contents. a

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of applying the cottoning material as above described by first folding a strip of cotton batting or fibers in a tube removed from the container, and then advancing the tube relatively to the mouth of the container, so that one end of the tube is slightly inserted therein, and providing means for pushing the folded cottoning material out of the tube and into the container above the contents thereof, this action in and of itself causing the cottoning material to spread out under the shoulders above referred to, completely filling the container above the contents without the necessity of stretching the cot-- toning material, or compressing it, and without using any mechanical means within the bottle to engage and spread out the cottoning material, and without any mechanical force applied to the container contents as to damage the same.

appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which i y Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of an apparatus made according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged sections on the respective lines of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 3 and.illus-. trating the action of the machine.

In carrying out the present invention, strips of rela-;

tively loose or matted cotton fibers of any desired or convenient size or shape aresevered or cut ofi in any manner to a more or less predetermined length; each such length is folded or doubled upon itself in a longitudinally movable open-ended tube by means of a free-ended blade contacting a length of cotton and pushing the same inwardly of the tube; and then the tube is placed at the mouth of the co ntainer to be cottoned, whereupon a plunger or ram moves into the vtube and substantially through the same to eject the thus folded cotton batting Other objects and advantages of the invention will or fibrous material into the neck of the bottle, whereupon the apparatus is retracted, so that an ensuing bottle may be positioned with respect to the tube and a new length of cotton material may be brought into correct position for the next operation.

A container is indicated at A and under usual circumstances the containers used will be glass or plastic bottles or the like which are positioned by hand or any automatic or feed means, upon a support 10 for correct location for the cottoning action as will appear more fully hereinafter. These containers are ordinarily necked and provided with shoulders B.

. A machine frame which is generally indicated at 12, 14 is mounted upon a support such as that at 16, and this support may be a part of the machine frame. The frame members 12 and 14 may be connected by a removable bridge 18 at the top thereof and by a connecting bridge or the like 20 near the bottom in order to provide the necessary framework to mount a pair of upright guiderods 22 and 24.

These rods may be mounted in any way desired, but as shown they are supported in upright bosses 26 located on the lower bridge 20 and in bores 28 in the upper bridge 18. Any desired means such as setscrews or the like 30 may be used to hold these rods in fixed relation on the framework above described.

Extending forwardly from the lower bridge 20, there is provided a bracket 32 having at its forward end a vertical bore 34 in which is mounted a cylindrical slidebearing or the like 36. This bearing slidably receives a cylindrical tube 38 which is open at both ends and the upper end is provided with a lip 40 to position an end of a compression spring 42. This spring yieldingly maintains the tube 38 in the upper position, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and it will be appreciated that this sleeve may be depressed against the action of the spring as illustrated in Fig. 8.

The tube is depressed by means of a connector ring 44 clamped thereto by a set-screw or the like and provided with a pocket 46 for the reception of a finger 48 detachably connected as at 50 on the end of an arm 52 of a lever pivoted at 54 on a support 56. The other arm of the lever is indicated at 58 and the lever is oscillated by a cam 60 mounted on a cam shaft 62. This cam shaft may be driven in any way desired and there may be provided a spring 64 for yieldingly maintaining the lever in the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the tube 38 is in its uppermost position, this being the normal position of the device as provided for by spring 42 and spring 64.

The spaced upright rods 22, 24 slidingly guide a double bearing support 66, 68. The bearing portion 66 is larger than the portion 68 and the two are connected together for simultaneous sliding motion on the rods 22, 24. There is a similar but reversed bearing construction 70, 72 slidably mounted on the rods and it will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that this bearing construction provides for an optimum bearing structure in the smallest vertical space.

The two bearing structures are separately reciprocated as by a pair of cam-operated levers 74, there being one such lever for each bearing construction. These levers are pivoted on a rod 76 and motion is applied thereto by means of a pair of cams 78 and 80 and it is to be noted that these cams will provide a difieren-t cycle for the two bearing constructions as will be described more fully hereinafter.

relation therein, as in a bore 82, a depending plunger 84. This plunger is provided with a rearwardly open longitudinal groove or slot 86 in which is slidingly positioned a blade 88. Blade 88 is secured at its upper end to the bracketfil and is disposed in-slot 86. The. plunger. 84 is reciprocable according to cam80 while the blade-is reciprocable according to the cam 78, and blade -88 slides and isguided in slot-86. The lower end of the slot is closed by a plug 90 in order to more effectivelyguide the blade in its-vertical reciprocatory action relative to plunger fitl.

The'cams 78 and-80 may be rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2 as by cam shaft 92 and this shaft may be in timed relation and driven from shaft 62 by means of I gearing such as the chain 94, in order for the tube 38 to be assured of its axial reciprocation in the correct timed relationship to plunger'84 and blade 88. Shaft-62 may be'driven by any desired means and in this respect a main drive shaft is shown in Fig. 1 at 96.

In the operation of the device, a container A is positioned with its neck directly under the lower end of the tube 38. Convenient stop means may beutilizedto position thecontainer in desired location. A length of matted cotton fiber or the like is positioned as illustrated .in Fig. 1 and anykind of supporting devices or feeding device maybe utilized for this purpose, such devices not being a part of the present invention. This cotton fiber may be pre-cut .or-positioned by hand'on the supports 98 indicated inzFig. '1, or anykind of automatic cutting, shearing or breaking mechanism may be provided in order to provide the :length of the cottoning material which hasbeen indicated by the letter C. It is also to be noted that .in'Fig. 3 the cottoning material is shown at right angles to its actual position in order to better illustratethe invention, the correct positioning of the cottoning maerialibeing-shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bladei88 descends engaging the material C intermediate thetends thereof and folding or doubling the same within the tube 38 as is clearly shown in Fig. 7. The cottoning material may even be projected out the bottom end of the tube slightly, but it is not a necessary limitation to the apparatus or the method of use thereof and it is contemplated that the blade 88 may stop short of the lower'end of the tube.

When the blade has reached its lowermost position, the tube 38 is then brought downwardly by the arm 52 by reason of the motion thereof in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 8, and the lower end of tube 38 is positionedin' the neck of the bottle or closelyadjacent thereto in aligned relation. At the same time, or shortly thereafter, the plunger 84 descends and expresses the cotton material downwardly out of the tube and into'the space occasioned by the shoulders B of the container A.

When the cotton is being moved downwardly for ejection from the tube, it is being moved relatively to the blade-88, being in effect stripped therefrom, and therefore when. the leading end-D of the cotton, as seen in Fig. 7, touches the top layer of the container contents, the two branches or arms of the-folded cottoning material tend todiverge; and upon further motion downwardly of the cottoning material C under influence of the plunger, the cottoning material will automatically and without any further action spread out and become tucked under the shoulders 'B' as shown in Fig. 8.

When theoperafion has been completed, all of the parts return to. original uppermost position as shown in Fig, 9 and when the Fig. 3 position has once more been reached, the next container may be cottoned.

The expression of the cotton from the tube into the container is seen to be accomplished by the blunt ended plunger, Which has a section approaching that of the neck of the bottle, or atleast it is considerably greater than the, section of'the blade, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The blade end never, approaches the contents of the container,

and cannot therefore press upon the same nor cause any breakage or damage. The plunger engages the cotton at the rear end of the mass in the tube, and hence does not approach the container contents either, since the bulk of the cotton is between the plunger and the contents. Hence, the operation is completely without damaging pressures placed upon the container contents and avoids the necessity of compressing the cottoning material to make it spread out by the'method of applying the same, by-reason of: the .intercoaction of the tube 38, the blade 88, and the ram or. plunger 84.

Having thus .described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herei-n disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. The method of packing necked containers for loose materials to prevent relative movement of the materials therein which comprises folding a length of loose fibrous packing;.rnaterial:intosa'tube without. compressing the packing material, engaging the nowfolded 'packingmaterialzat's-an endzthereof; in'the tube,;and expressing the folded;.-packing.:material from: .the'. tube, folded end first, into; the :container. above; the. contents thereof.

22. The. method of packingtneckedc containers for loose materials :to. prevent relative .movement. of the materials therein which comprises folding a length of loose fibrous packing material into'. a tube w'vithout compressing the packing material, engaging thelnow folded packing materialcat-an end thereof, .in the tube, expressing the folded paekingamaterial from the tube, folded end first, into the container "above the. contents thereof, and allowing the folded send to: spread out OVCI'Z' the containers contents and under LthC'ShOlllClfiISuOf. the container'byreason of contact of theifolded-end with the containerv contents.

3.Apparatuszfor inserting packing material into a necked container comprising a relatively fixedenclosure having a bore therein, means movable-relative to the enclosure to foldaai length of packing material folded end first into the' bore, andseparate means to cause the folded material in the bore to be expressed fromthe 'bore directly into the container folded end first.

4. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partiallyfilled necked container comprising a substantially relativelyfixed tubular memben'means to engage a length of packing material intermediate the ends thereof and fold the same folded end first :into the tubular member, and a separate :member to express the folded packing material fromthe tube into the container folded end first.

5. Apparatus for inserting packing-material into a partia llylfi'lled necked container comprising a fixed sub stantially tubular member, a movable bla'de'to engage a length of packing material intermediate the ends thereof and fo'ldrthe same into the tubular memberfolded end first and the free ends of the length ofmaterial last, an'dwanseparatemember movable to express the-folded packing material folded end first from the tube into the container/above the-contents thereof, the packing material spreading out underthe shoulders of the container.

6. Apparatus for inserting pack-ingmaterial into a necked: container: comprising an enclosure having a bore therein, means to fold a length of packing material in thefbore,andzseparate meansto cause the folded'material in the bore to be'expressed'from thebore directly into the container, :said'first-namedmeans being in the form of -a "free-ended blade.

:7. Apparatus fo -=insert-ing packing -material into a necked container comprising an enclosure having a bore therein,-means=to'fold=alength of packing material in the-bore, and-separate means to cause the folded material in=the bore to be expressed from the bore directly into the container,saidfirstmamed meansbeing in the form of a 'free-endedbla'de and said separate means having arel-ativ'ely blunt end,- larger in area than the free end of the plunger, to engage the folded packing material at the ends thereof within the bore.

8. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a necked container comprising a tube, a blade having a free end to double a length of packing material in the tube, and a plunger to engage the doubled material in the tube and push the same out of the tube into the neck of the container above the contents of the latter.

9. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partly filled necked container comprising a generally tubular member, means to insert a length of packing material into the tubular member, means. to reciprocate the latter axially to and from the neck of the container, and separate means to eject the material from the tubular member into the neck of the container above the contents thereof at the position of the tubular member adjacent the neck of the container.

10. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partly filled necked container comprising a generally tubular member, reciprocal means to fold a length of packing material into the tubular member, means axially advancing the latter to the neck of the container, and separate reciprocal means to eject the material from the tubular member into the neck of the container above the contents thereof.

11. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partly filled necked container comprising a generally tubular member, reciprocal means to fold a length of packing material into the tubular member, and separate reciprocal means to eject the material from the tubular member into the neck of the container above the contents thereof, said tubular member being open at both ends, and the packing material inserting means being axially in line relative to the tubular member.

12. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partly filled necked container comprising a generally tubular member, reciprocal means to fold a length of packing material into the tubular member, separate reciprocal means to eject the material from the tubular member into the neck of the container'above the contents thereof, and means to reciprocate the packing material folding means and the separate means relative to the tubular member in timed relation thereto.

13. Apparatus for inserting packing material into a partly filled necked container comprising a generally tubular member, reciprocal means to fold a length of packing material into the tubular member, separate reciprocal means to eject the material from the tubular member into the neck of the container above the contents thereof, said packing material folding means being in the form of a free-ended blade and the separate means including a plunger, and means to reciprocate the blade and plunger axially in timed relation relative to the tubular member.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising a support for a necked container, a tube positioned above the latter in axially aligned condition therewith, a plunger, a free-ended blade in the plunger in axial coextension therewith, the plunger and blade being axially aligned with the means to reciprocate the tube, plunger and blade in timed relation to fold a length of fibrous packing material in the tube by motion of the blade thereinto, and to express the folded packing material from the tube into the container neck by the plunger alone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the reciprocating means moves the tube axially to and from the neck of the container, and the blade operates to fold the packing material in the tube when the latter is retracted from the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,171,572 Kelly Sept. 5, 1939 2,269,722 Lakso Jan. 13, 1942 2,501,770 Gantzer Mar. 28, 1950 2,805,531 Dimond Sept. 10, 1957 

